Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125)

How It Feels

The elastic band around your upper arm
may feel tight. You may feel nothing at all from the needle, or you may feel a
quick sting or pinch.

Risks

There is very small chance of problems from
having blood drawn from a vein.

You may get a small bruise at the site. You
can lower your chance of bruising by putting pressure on the site for several
minutes.

In rare cases, the vein may become swollen after the blood
sample is taken. This condition is called phlebitis. You can use a warm
compress several times a day to treat this.

Ongoing bleeding can be
a problem for people with bleeding disorders. Aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), and
other blood-thinning medicines can also make bleeding more likely. If you have
bleeding or clotting problems, or if you take blood-thinning medicine, tell
your health professional before your blood is drawn.

Results

The cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) test
measures the amount of the CA-125
protein in the blood.

The normal values listed here—called a reference range—are just a guide. These ranges vary from lab to lab, and your lab may have a different range for what's normal. Your lab report should contain the range your lab uses. Also, your doctor will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors. This means that a value that falls outside the normal values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab.